


About what happened on the Migrant Fleet

by Odile (Odileheroin_e)



Series: Letters to Bioware (emotional vent for shocking twists in video games) [3]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen, Letters, ME2 spoilers, just in case someone hasn't played yet.......
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-01-29
Packaged: 2018-05-17 00:25:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5846770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Odileheroin_e/pseuds/Odile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tali's decision breeds unrest in Jane Shepard's mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	About what happened on the Migrant Fleet

**Author's Note:**

> I recently finished Dragon Age: Inquisition and wrote two vent letters about it and then remembered that I had actually written one, something like a year earlier, when playing Mass Effect 2. This one is about Tali's loyalty mission and my decision to go with what she wanted, winning her loyalty. This didn't sit easy with me, and I felt I needed to put that to words.

To Tali,

about what happened on the Migrant Fleet.

 

I did as you wished because I wanted to respect your right to choose – choose your own future, make your own life choices. As you said to your aunt, you’re a big girl now – and I respect that. I want you to live a happy life because I care about you, but I will never make decisions for you. I hope that you understand that – also in that that though I will protect you when you are in danger and take care of you when you are without shelter, I will not be your mother and watch your every step. You can rely on me, but you may not attach yourself to me to be dependent on me. You’re a big girl; remember that.

You made your choice. I made the decision to respect that and reminded myself that I cannot choose for you.

However, this decision of mine, although still correct in my own judgement and likely in yours, too, bothers me. You know me, Tali – I am a sworn enemy of injustice, and witnessing it happen and not correcting it eats me up from the inside. And so it is now. We know that you were accused wrongly, and, furthermore, that you were condemned wrongly. Your punishment was unjust. For you to be deprived of your home and your family for having done nothing but service to the Fleet is an outrageous error. You suffered the punishment for a crime you had not and have not committed. You took a bullet for a dead man – not just any dead man, I acknowledge that, and fall back on my (and your) ultimate decision as the right one.

And I must have you know this because I suffer of an unrest that might never be pacified, not even if you read this and accept my point of view. My aim in writing this letter is not to manipulate you into feeling remorse or to make you second-guess your ability for decisionmaking, but simply to express my feelings regarding this complicated affair and perhaps gain some acceptance or understanding.

I respect your autonomy as an individual and understand your motives. I will hence not lecture you on why you should have decided otherwise – I am sure that you are still solid in your judgement and weighed both possibilities enough for you to arrive to the conclusion that you ultimately decided on. I hope that you will thrive in your new life and I will give you all the help you need for beginning again.

But know this: I will never come to agree with your decision. I hope you understand this. Please don’t be angry.

 

Please be well, Tali’Zorah vas Normandy,

Shepard


End file.
